SEVEN BEATS TEN TO THE SCENE

CHANNEL 7 has bought three tele-movies based on novels by crime writer
Ruth Rendell, ruffling the feathers of Channel 10, which aired Rendell's
Inspector Wexford series earlier this year.

According to a network spokeswoman, Seven's acquisition of the tele-movies
caused "much angst" over at Ten, which was unaware of their existence.

Some might say this serves Ten right for stealing Seven's thunder last
month by airing a repeat of The Three Tenors' 1990 Rome concert just days before
Seven showed the trio's 1994 Los Angeles World Cup soccer concert, for which
they had paid handsomely.

Seven's first Rendell tele-movie, Master Of The Moor, will screen on
Friday, September 2.

KALAJZICH SERIES

THE story of Andrew Kalajzich , the Sydney businessman jailed for the
murder of his wife, Megan, is to be made into a mini-series.

The mini-series is based on the book My Husband, My Killer, by Sydney
Morning Herald journalists Lindsay Simpson and Sandra Harvey. Both Channel 9 and
the ABC are interested in acquiring the drama.

BLUE NO MORE

ANNE Burbrook, the Blue Heelers star dumped when producers realised her
character had become a pointless appendage as the only civilian in a cop drama,
has found another way to make herself useful.

The actress is doing a writing course and has submitted a draft script for
an episode of Blue Heelers. Who said there isn't life after television?

BAY BOUND

AT 71, Charles (Bud) Tingwell will certainly raise the average age of the
predominantly pubescent Home And Away cast when he joins the Channel 7 soap next
month.

DOUG Mulray, whose show continues to grow in popularity, is one name being
considered to host the People's Choice Awards in November. The awards, run by
Channel 7 and Woman's Day, were hosted by Gary Sweet last year.

MORE SPELLING

MELROSE Place fans mourning the passing the second series of the soap can
still watch their favourite stars on Aaron Spelling's latest offering, Burke's
Law, a contemporary version of the 60s series of the same name.

Melrose Place's Grant Show and Josie Bissett make guest appearances, with
Bissett dropping her dumb-blonde image to play a bad girl. Burke's Law premieres
on Channel 10 on September 2.

KEATING OPTS OUT

ORGANISING a launch for a new television program is difficult at the best
of times. When your star is the Prime Minister it can be a logistical nightmare.

Paul Keating was scheduled to launch SBS's new series, Australian
Biography- which profiles high achievers such as Malcolm Fraser and Smoky Dawson
- but pulled out due to more pressing commitments at the last minute.

SBS and Film Australia, which is funding the series, are now hoping
Communications Minister Michael Lee can do the honours. Australian Biography
starts on September 8.

SBS SAVES DAY

FRONTLINE viewers missing their weekly fix of media satire will be
relieved to know SBS has bought a new series of British equivalent Drop The Dead
Donkey, which will air from October 2.

Meanwhile, a Film Australia product called Ratings will look at the more
serious side of the morality and ethics of television journalism - although some
might consider that an oxymoron - through the eyes of a program's reporter, its
executive producer and the network's owner.

The three-part drama is in the development stage and no prizes for
guessing that it won't turn up on a commercial network.

TALKING BACK

THE usually smooth feathers of country-music-loving talk- back king John
Laws may get a bit ruffled tomorrow when he meets his idol, Garth Brooks.

Brooks, whose overseas success has been mercilessly hyped here by his
record company, EMI, will do his first radio interview with Laws on 2UE tomorrow
morning.

A SHOW OR TWO

SBS's Mr Movies, David Strat ton, has been invited to sit on the jury at
the prestigious Venice Film Festival next month.

Stratton won't let the opportunity of being surrounded by Hollywood's
movers and shakers pass him by and will conduct interviews for The Movie Show
between judging films.

He will talk with Jack Nicholson and director Mike Nichols about their new
film, Wolf.

DENTON SIDESTEPS THE FLACCO

CHANNEL 7 continues to fine tune the format of Denton, which attracts an
average of about 160,000 viewers in Sydney in its late-night slot and runs in
second place behind Channel 10's late news. Comedian Flacco (left) has joined
the fold and now Seven is running another Denton special at the earlier time
slot of 9.30pm on September 6, in an effort to attract a wider audience.

The best photography from The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. more photos

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